Sample Tours:

Friday, 31 January 2014

We are often asked if it is worth visiting the world famous gardens of Villandry early in the year.

It's true they don't reach their peak until the summer, but the formal structure of the garden means that there is still something to see earlier in the year. The photo above was taken in late March, just as the first of the seedling vegetables for the potager were being planted out, and the tulips were up in the Garden of Love, but not yet flowering. It's still quite an impressive garden, even if the green of the clipped box is not set off by a myriad of cleverly arranged bedding plants. As gardeners like to say, it has good 'bones'.

Obviously we won't spend as much time in the garden as we would in the summer. There isn't as much detail to take in, and some of the garden is not open to the public in the early spring. But we have that covered. Because we know this area well, we offer a short visit to the gardens, together with visits to other, less well known sites. It could be to a local artisan, or a medieval church with a fabulous interior, or even a remarkable 2000 year old Roman monument. On a typical tour we will also visit one other major chateau and a winery.

If you like the idea of being able to tap into our local knowledge to get the best out of the Loire Valley at any time of year, please email us and we will design a tour that works with the local conditions for you.

Tuesday, 21 January 2014

Saturday, 11 January 2014

One of our tour vehicles, the stylish and elegant Célestine, has a Facebook account. We take a photo of all of her new friends with her somewhere along the route of their tour with us so it can be posted on Célestine's Facebook photo album.

If you would like to be seen with Célestine, email us and book a tour of the Loire Valley.

Wednesday, 1 January 2014

We choose the wineries we visit very carefully. Naturally the first consideration is the quality of the wine, but for most people there is more to a winery visit than just the wine. We go to small estates where we can meet the winemaker. Usually we spend some time looking at the winemaking facility with the winemaker explaining the process and his/her philosophy, then repair to the tasting room to try a range of wine produced on the estate.

A typical example of the type of winery we visit is run by a personable young winemaker who has an inspiring story to tell of how he came to be making wine on the family estate. He has worked outside of France and came back determined to make wine at home and fulfill his dream. He is articulate, friendly and passionate, and it is his personality that makes the visit such a success, as much as the quality of his excellent wines.

If you would like to meet impressive young winemakers or those with years of experience behind them, all with a passion for producing the best wine they possibly can, email us and we will design an itinerary that includes at least one winery.

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About Celestine and Claudette

Who are We?

We are a specialist tour company organising tours of the Loire Valley and surrounding areas.

If you are visiting Paris for a week or two, book a day trip away from the big city bustle and experience the heart of France. We provide custom tours of the Loire Valley, travelling in our classic French 1953 Citroën Traction Avant. Going on a day trip with us is like having a day out with friends. We visit the grand châteaux you have always dreamed of seeing, stopping along the way at small overlooked sites that can range from WW2 memorials to Roman ruins or pre-historic burials.

à la carte

In addition to our custom made tours we have devised some standard itineraries that visit some of the most popular chateaux of the Loire Valley. Prices are current for all of 2017

Chenonceau andMontpoupon.€910 One of the grandest and most popular chateaux of the Loire Valley, with one of the less visited chateaux in the afternoon.Villandry and Azay-le-Rideau€ 890 for two people, starting in Tours, including lunch and entry fees. Please email us us for more details.

Chenonceau and Cheverny€995 Chenonceau, the most iconic of Loire chateaux in the morning, and Cheverny after lunch. More details are here

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About Our Cars

The cars we use for our tours are Citroen Traction Avant 11Bs, a car designed in 1934 and built almost unchanged until 1957. Célestine was built in 1953, and Claudette in 1956

You will be amazed at how comfortable they are, and how much attention they attract. When it is parked a Traction Avant is the centre of attention, and people are always happy to see such an iconic car in good condition and being used. We have had many conversations with strangers about the glory days of motor touring.

We invite you to relive the fun of those days with us and our special cars.